


With Your Own Hands

by puppylove7



Category: Octopath Traveler (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:27:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23180176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/puppylove7/pseuds/puppylove7
Summary: I really hope that this is to your liking. I have to admit that this isn't anywhere close to what I was originally going for seeing as I was kind of planning for a Ophilia/Alfyn fiction, but it kind of developed a mind of its own and this was created instead. I have no complaints with it though and I'm happy with it. That is all that matters in the end. I just hope it makes you happy too.
Relationships: Alfyn Greengrass & Zeph
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2
Collections: It's All in the Name (Take #1)





	With Your Own Hands

**Author's Note:**

  * For [inquisitor_tohru](https://archiveofourown.org/users/inquisitor_tohru/gifts).



> I really hope that this is to your liking. I have to admit that this isn't anywhere close to what I was originally going for seeing as I was kind of planning for a Ophilia/Alfyn fiction, but it kind of developed a mind of its own and this was created instead. I have no complaints with it though and I'm happy with it. That is all that matters in the end. I just hope it makes you happy too.

"Alfyn, come quickly" I heard the voice of a young girl. I didn't even have to turn around to know who it was. It was Nina, the younger sister of my friend Zeph, an apothecary like myself and who happens to be a good friend of mine.

I would usually smile when I heard her voice because she would usually be coming around for something silly like wanting to play or just to tell me about her day. It was never anything that was really of importance. However this time seemed different. I could not find it in me to smile. I don't know what it was, but something was telling me that something was seriously wrong.

Upon turning around, my suspicions were confirmed. I didn't need to say a word to the poor girl behind me. The fact that she looked like she had run all the way here as fast as her little legs could go and the tears that were streaming down her cheeks like miniature waterfalls were enough to tell me that I was right and something was very wrong and that I was needed. But before I could be of any help, I first had to find out what it was that the girl needed in the first place.

"Nina, what's wrong?"

Nina looked me in the eyes and the tears continued to fall from her face.

"It's Zeph. Something is wrong with him."

I wasted no time after hearing that Zeph was in trouble and without a second thought, I found myself sprinting as fast as I could to the house that Zeph and Nina lived in. What I saw as I entered the house made my blood run cold. I could feel the panic start to set in as I saw who was probably my closest friend lying in his bed looking as pale as a ghost. He looked like he was on the brink of death.

Suddenly I found myself by his side. Upon seeing him up close I could see that things were worse than I originally thought. Not only was he pale, but I could tell just by listening that he was struggling to breathe and with every breath he took I could hear a gurgle. It sounded as if he had inhaled a lot of fluid of some sort. He was coughing continuously, probably in an attempt to clear the fluid from his lungs. He was burning up with a fever too. 

As I watched my friend lying listlessly, I could feel many emotions going through me. Of course the strongest, most profound one was panic, but there were others that I had never felt before and could’t explain. I felt like I would be losing part of me if I were to lose Zeph. Just the thought of losing him left me feeling like a void would be created in my very heart and soul. A sense of loneliness set in at that thought as well. Just thinking about that made me feel like I was alone in the world with nobody else. Losing him would make me seem like a soulless shell walking living a worthless life. Those weren’t feelings that I enjoyed and I didn’t understand what they meant or where they were coming from.

I was brought back to reality when I heard a voice feebly call out to me.

“Alfyn, why are you so panicked? You should have no problems dealing with something like this.”

Zeph was right, usually I wouldn’t have any issues with something like this, but this time felt different. I felt lost and too scared to make a move. I knew that part of it was because this was my friend I was dealing with here, one wrong move and I could lose him forever. But if I didn’t do something, I would lose him forever, there would be no chance of saving him if I don’t act. 

I couldn’t help but to think back to the time when I was severely ill and that wondering apothecary cured me. Why couldn’t he be here right now? He would know what to do right now.

“You are right, usually I wouldn’t, but this time is different. It is you, somebody I hold dear who is in danger. I don’t know what I should do. If only the apothecary who cured me all those years ago were here, he would know what to do.”

“So what if I’m the one who is sick this time? How does that make things any different? Just do what you would normally do in a situation like this.”

I knew that Zeph was right, but how can I do that if I’m too afraid of messing something up. My mind just could focus on a solution to my current predicament.

“You are right, but my mind is clouded with fear of losing you that I can’t see things clearly and it is causing nothing but confusion. That is why I wish he were here.”

That didn’t seem to sit well with Zeph. That much was obvious with the scolding that he attempted to give me. In his current state, it wasn’t much of one.

“To hell with your fear and confusion. You have dealt with much worse than this in the past. Think back to the time when you cured all those people from something that wasn’t much different from what I have in the past. Those people are alive and well today. You did all of that on your own, with your own hands. You don’t need anybody else to help you. I believe in you.”

That was the last thing that he said before he fell unconscious. But those last words were all I needed to hear. My mind was now clear of all confusion and fear and I was able to think clearly again. I knew what I had to do and I’d be damned if I didn’t succeed in doing what needed to be done.

I thought back to the time that Zeph had mentioned, what was it that I used to concoct a potion to cure everybody?

It didn’t take me long to recall what it was that I had used, but it also didn’t take long for me to look through my satchel and realize that I was lacking the key ingredient for the potion. I guess I was going to have to retrieve it. I have no other option. With that thought in mind, I wasted no time and headed to where I knew the key ingredient was located.

After the very tedious hike up the mountains and the treacherous battle that came after it, I was exhausted, but that wasn’t going to be enough to stop me from going back to Zeph. His life was in my hands. He wasn’t going to die, I wasn’t going to let him.

As soon as Iwas inside Zeph’s house, I wasted no time in making the concoction that would hopefully save him. His health had deteriorated even more since I left, but that wasn’t a big surprise. But that made things even more dire.

Once I finished preparing everything, I swiftly moved across the room to where Zeph was currently lying in his bed.

“Come on Zeph, I need you to drink this.”

To my relief, he managed to get the potion down. I just hoped that I made it in time and that it would be enough to save him.

Now that he had taken the elixir, there was nothing more I could do but wait. But there was also no point in waiting here in the house, so I left to have a change of scenery.

Without realizing it, I found myself in the cemetery looking out into the distance. Despite the situation, I found myself at ease. Many in this situation would still be in a panic, but I wasn’t. I felt it in my gut that Zeph would pull through. He had confidence in me and it was enough to give me the strength to believe in myself. That was all I needed to remain calm.

I have no idea how long it had been, but I was brought back to reality when I heard somebody call out to me. I was so deep in my own thoughts that I didn’t recognize who it was, I was barely able to register my name. 

Upon turning around, I felt sheer relief as I saw Zeph stand behind me. He was looking so much better than he was before, but he was alive and that was all that mattered. But that didn’t stop me from worrying about him.

“Zeph, you are alive, but are you sure you are alright to be up moving around?”

Zeph just smiled at me before answering my question.

“Yes, I’m most definitely alive and able to be standing here and it is all thanks to you. I knew you could do it. All you had to do was calm down and believe in yourself.”

He was right. He was still by my side and wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. In the end my friend was saved and it was with my own two hands.


End file.
